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“We work hard to create a community everyone can enjoy and which also enables people to express different opinions,” a YouTube spokeswoman said in a statement. “This can be a challenge because what's OK in one country can be offensive elsewhere. This video — which is widely available on the Web — is clearly within our guidelines and so will stay on YouTube.”

“However, we've restricted access to it in countries where it is illegal such as India and Indonesia, as well as in Libya and Egypt given the very sensitive situations in these two countries,” the spokeswoman said.

The video, deemed offensive by many Muslims, is believed to have spurred violence in Libya this week where four Americans were killed.

The White House confirmed Friday that it had asked Google’s YouTube to review the video.

"The White House asked YouTube to review the video to see if it was in compliance with their terms of use," White House press secretary Jay Carney told POLITICO in an email. The White House said it reached out to YouTube on Tuesday.

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 7:10 p.m. on September 14, 2012.

Readers' Comments (39)

No one in Government was concerned about the video before the 9/11 attacks on out embassies. Now that the weakness of our position and the lingering hatred of Americans for killing Bin Laden (Wer Are 1.5 Billion Bin Ladens) has the Whitehouse casting about for yet another bad guy to put their blame on!

First, we can't say there are terrorist attacks (Man Caused Disasters) We can't say war on terror (Overseas Contingincy plans!), and now commemorative 9/11 terrorist attacks on many of our embasies on the aniversary of the twin towers destruction is surely the result of a two month old utube video! These attacks and murders just happened to all occur on the same day at locations thousands of miles apart!

Nope, since Obama personally takes credit for killing Bin Laden let him state these attacks were caused by his personal actions in KILLING BIN LADEN!

No one in Government was concerned about the video before the 9/11 attacks on out embassies. Now that the weakness of our position and the lingering hatred of Americans for killing Bin Laden (Wer Are 1.5 Billion Bin Ladens) has the Whitehouse casting about for yet another bad guy to put their blame on!

First, we can't say there are terrorist attacks (Man Caused Disasters) We can't say war on terror (Overseas Contingincy plans!), and now commemorative 9/11 terrorist attacks on many of our embasies on the aniversary of the twin towers destruction is surely the result of a two month old utube video! These attacks and murders just happened to all occur on the same day at locations thousands of miles apart!

Nope, since Obama personally takes credit for killing Bin Laden let him state these attacks were caused by his personal actions in KILLING BIN LADEN!

No, it's not the same thing as yelling FIRE in a crowded theater. It's taking a stand for one of the core beliefs we have as Americans - that of free speech. What would you have Google do - censor every video based on what any citizen of any other country might find offensive?

I watched the video and I think it's a pathetic POS. At the same time, it's insane that some people allow something so utterly trivial to provoke them to murder complete strangers. And don't think I'm not critical of the US's actions either, as I very much am. But I'm quickly getting to the point where I just don't give a ****. If these people are that uncivilized and intolerant that a god damn youtube video is enough to murder someone over, let's just kill every last miserable one of them so the civilized world can get on with their lives.

First of all, anyone who wants to make a comment on whether or not Google should take this down should have to watch at least a portion of it. I could only watch about 4-5 minutes of it. This is more like a really bad Sasha Baron Cohen movie than anything else. I could understand the outrage if it were a film like "The Last Temptation of Christ", which many Christians felt really challenged/attacked their faith/beliefs.

After watching it, I firmly believe that this is not the cause for the 9/11 attacks on our embassies and personnel. It is a convenient scapegoat, especially for the administration, so that their failed foreign policy cannot be blamed. The movie is a joke. Any RATIONAL person would take one look and say - are they serious? Yes, it portrays Islam in a negative light - but do they really think anyone is going to be influenced by this? To blame the US for something so poorly executed cannot even be considered a stretch of the imagination. The radical (notice I said RADICAL) Muslim world will use any excuse to villify the US and our freedoms.

People who have lived for years under suppressive governments have no concept of what a free democracy is really all about. They have no concept of free speech and therefore cannot understand how an individual can be responsible for something like this...and not an organized government. Yes, the movie is in poor taste. Yes, if I were a Muslim I may be offended that someone is ridiculing my faith. But, because I am a Christian I may have a thicker skin over matters like these since Christianity and Christians have been ridiculed and marginalized in movies, print, etc. for years.

Google is right to leave the film up. It is an ignorant person's expression of free speech. I don't agree with it, but I am thankful that he has the right because it means I also have the same right. The Administration needs to come clean and admit to the public that the film is NOT the reason for the onset of this violence - although it is now being used as a catalyst to spread the hate and the Administration's continually referencing it just stirs the pot.

While we can all agree with the great Mitt Romney that this film is "a terrible idea", and also acknowledge that it puts our soldiers and diplomats in greater danger, censoring the film violates our values. Criticize and deplore it all you want, but unless someone was harmed in the making of it, it certainly falls under the umbrella of free speech.

As reported in The Wall Street Journal 9/12/12, 100 unidentified Jewish donors contributed $5 million to make this video which features Mohammed as a child-abuser. The idea was to provoke anger in the Muslim world as has been done many times before. Many Muslims are uneducated people to whom religion is of utmost importance. The Jewish donors are the true murderers who murdered our ambassador. They hate Muslims because Muslims oppose their goal to steal all of Palestine. To this aim they want to ensnare us in WW III.

willbhead you you wrote: "As reported in The Wall Street Journal 9/12/12, 100 unidentified Jewish donors contributed $5 million to make this video which features Mohammed as a child-abuser. The idea was to provoke anger in the Muslim world as has been done many times before. Many Muslims are uneducated people to whom religion is of utmost importance. The Jewish donors are the true murderers who murdered our ambassador. "

A. Will-behead-you had to hide here for months after i destroyed him in argument last year regarding the bogus "Palestinian" claims regarding Israel.

B. Will-behead-you reveals himself to be a sanctioner of murder and a hater of political free speech, as he shows above that he believes free speech that "provokes Islamist monsters" is a justification for murder. Charming.

C. Will-behead-you never got around to addressing the situation that in Israel (as in America), a Gay, Arab, Female, College-Educated, Car-Driving, Nude-beach-attending woman can be member of the elected Parliament. How many of the Islamist nations around Israel will let a Gay, Jewish, Female, College-Educated, Car-Driving, Nude-beach-attending woman can be member of the "elected" Parliament

D. I look forward to reading the names that Will-behead-you will provide regarding "unidentified" anybody, so they can be thanked for helping reveal the Islamist tolerance for American values such as free speech.

E. Note that Romney's elections chances are blossoming thanks to this debacle for Da Prez. Or, to inform the Islamists... be careful what you wish for.

F. The movie was made about half a year ago. Weird how all this violence occurred on 9-11. Here are some of the "Palestinians" dancing in the streets to celebrate 9-11 happening.

http://www.youtube.com/...

http://www.youtube.com/...

And here is snopes.com proving the truth of those vids...

http://www.snopes.com/r...

G. And, for some irony, no doubt will-behead-you fails to comment on the oodles of Arab media attacks demeaning Jews and Christions.

H. Oh, and more fun. The MOVIE was made by a Christian Egyptian (Copt) whose denomination is oppressed and slaughtered by the Islamist Mohammadans of Egypt. Go figure.

willbhead you you wrote: "As reported in The Wall Street Journal 9/12/12, 100 unidentified Jewish donors contributed $5 million to make this video which features Mohammed as a child-abuser. The idea was to provoke anger in the Muslim world as has been done many times before. Many Muslims are uneducated people to whom religion is of utmost importance. The Jewish donors are the true murderers who murdered our ambassador. "

A. Will-behead-you had to hide here for months after i destroyed him in argument last year regarding the bogus "Palestinian" claims regarding Israel.

B. Will-behead-you reveals himself to be a sanctioner of murder and a hater of political free speech, as he shows above that he believes free speech that "provokes Islamist monsters" is a justification for murder. Charming.

C. Will-behead-you never got around to addressing the situation that in Israel (as in America), a Gay, Arab, Female, College-Educated, Car-Driving, Nude-beach-attending woman can be member of the elected Parliament. How many of the Islamist nations around Israel will let a Gay, Jewish, Female, College-Educated, Car-Driving, Nude-beach-attending woman can be member of the "elected" Parliament

D. I look forward to reading the names that Will-behead-you will provide regarding "unidentified" anybody, so they can be thanked for helping reveal the Islamist tolerance for American values such as free speech.

E. Note that Romney's elections chances are blossoming thanks to this debacle for Da Prez. Or, to inform the Islamists... be careful what you wish for.

F. The movie was made about half a year ago. Weird how all this violence occurred on 9-11. Here are some of the "Palestinians" dancing in the streets to celebrate 9-11 happening.

http://www.youtube.com/...

http://www.youtube.com/...

And here is snopes.com proving the truth of those vids...

http://www.snopes.com/r...

G. And, for some irony, no doubt will-behead-you fails to comment on the oodles of Arab media attacks demeaning Jews and Christions.

H. Oh, and more fun. The MOVIE was made by a Christian Egyptian (Copt) whose denomination is oppressed and slaughtered by the Islamist Mohammadans of Egypt. Go figure.

I watched the movie. It was a joke, it was so badly done. However, the couple points it makes that apparently the radical muslims are taking offence to (Mohammad was a womanizer and was responsible for lots of deaths of innocents) are historical fact. He had many wives and he conquered millions to spread his religion. What's the big deal? Anyone offended by the movie (other than its poor quality) needs to step into the real world.